Counsel (Commercial)

Location

EMEA

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

Remote

Department

Legal and Compliance

✨ One platform, a whole world of opportunity

Right now, the best jobs are limited to people in a handful of the world’s wealthiest cities, yet brilliant people are everywhere. Driven to overturn the status quo and distribute opportunities equally around the world, Oyster launched its global employment platform to help companies hire, pay, and care for talent anywhere.

When it comes to global employment, we walk the walk. We’re proof that companies don't need an office to create a highly-engaged culture. Since the company’s inception in January 2020, Oyster has:

• Created a fully-distributed, vibrant team of 400+ employees across 60+ countries
• Featured in Forbes having ranked #9 in Flexjobs Top 30 Companies for remote jobs
• Established a diverse leadership team and an employee base that’s 60% female
• Achieved one of the highest employee engagement scores in its class
• Raised $286 million to date, with a current valuation of $1.2 billion!
• B Corp status achieved in 2023

Our momentum speaks to the power of global employment—and we’re just getting started! If you want to change the world with Oyster and be empowered to work remotely while doing so, we’d love for you to apply!

Location: While this position is posted in a specific location, all of Oyster’s positions are fully remote and you can work from home. To ensure the best experience for our new hire, this role requires you to be based within EMEA.

Oyster is on a mission to become the world leader in global distributed work, and we’re looking for a Commercial Counsel to join us on that journey. Reporting to the Director and Senior Managing Counsel, you’ll be the go‑to legal partner for our business teams, helping us grow while keeping risk in check.

You’ll work on a wide range of commercial matters—from negotiating contracts with vendors and partners to creating templates and playbooks that streamline our processes. Your guidance will directly impact Oyster’s business decisions, helping us protect our IP, manage compliance, and unlock opportunities for growth.

This role is perfect for someone who loves solving complex legal challenges, thrives in a fast-moving environment, and can translate legal concepts into clear, actionable advice for non‑legal colleagues.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide pragmatic, business-focused legal advice on commercial contracts, vendor agreements, regulatory compliance, intellectual property, and data privacy.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of agreements, including MSAs, SOWs, SaaS/PaaS/IaaS contracts, licensing agreements, consulting and professional services contracts, and marketing/sponsorship agreements.
• Negotiate critical clauses such as limitations of liability, indemnification, warranties, data rights, and IP ownership, balancing risk with commercial goals.
• Lead initiatives to improve our contracting processes, including templates, playbooks, AI‑powered reviews, and risk matrices. Partner closely with procurement, finance, IT, and other teams during vendor selection and RFPs, helping drive cost savings and value creation.
• Ensure vendor agreements comply with global regulations like GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other relevant frameworks.
• Mentor junior attorneys, contract managers, and commercial legal specialists, sharing knowledge and fostering growth.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders to make sure legal guidance is practical, collaborative, and aligned with business priorities.

Core Requirements

• Juris Doctorate or equivalent law degree and at least 5 years of experience as a fully licensed, practicing attorney.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a broad range of commercial agreements.
• Ability to explain complex legal concepts in simple, actionable terms for business partners and third parties.
• Proven experience developing and implementing contract negotiation playbooks and improving contract processes.
• Strong analytical, communication, and research skills.
• Curiosity and commercial mindset to understand Oyster’s goals and provide practical, value‑driven legal solutions.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, practical, and actionable guidance for non‑legal stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and create new processes to drive efficiency.
• Positive attitude, high level of organization, and ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment.
• Experience with remote work.

Bonus

• Prior experience supporting partnerships, strategic white‑label, or embedded relationships.
• Experience in tech or SaaS companies.
• Familiarity with Contract Lifecycle Management systems (e.g., Ironclad, SAP CLM, Avvoka, Conga, Spotdraft).
• Electronic signature software experience preferred (e.g., HelloSign, DocuSign).

You’ll also need

• A reliable home internet connection (or be able to get one)
• Fluent English language skills